The Group is focusing on two distinct customer groups: Electronic and Electromechanical and Maintenance, Repair and Operations.

Electronic and Electromechanical (EEM)

To improve our competitiveness in this sector, we have increased our stocked product range across Europe, extended our range by an additional 90,000 products, from our US company (Allied Electronics) and our existing suppliers, for sale in our larger European markets. We have reorganised our Product Management process to align more closely to the EEM strategy. We have also increased the proportion of our overall marketing expenditure on EEM marketing. The initial results show a substantial increase in sales growth rate for these products which provides confidence in the strategy. The next steps will include further increasing the size of the EEM range, with the inclusion of new technologies e.g. wireless and displays, and additional customer driven packaging options, making all EEM products available to every business around the world and further improving EEM customer service through enhanced web based search and information facilities.

Maintenance, Repair & Operations (MRO)

The primary focus of the strategy in the MRO sector is to simplify the offer to meet customer needs more effectively. This will involve better management of cost through product and supplier rationalisation and increased own branded products. Where we have particular strength in a range, we will promote that range in a similar way to the EEM strategy. The first of these has been the successful trial of an improved Process Control and Automation (PCA) offer in Germany aimed specifically at maintenance engineers in all industries. Following the positive response from our customers, we plan to roll out this offer to the rest of the Group.